Whipped Lemon Feta Spread

Cheese and crackers is the appetizer to end all appetizers. It’s easy for the host to put out and it’s always a crowd pleaser for the guests. Sounds like a win win to me. Typically I’ll serve it in addition to other homemade appetizers. What’s one more appetizer, right? (Occupational hazard of being half Greek and half Italian… there always has to be loads of food options available.) Plus, I like knowing that I have a hunk of cheese and box of my favorite crackers lying around as Plan B, just in case I screw up making something. I’m always thinking. 😉 This cheese and cracker duo looks like I brought it straight from the store, when in fact I whipped it up in a matter of minutes.

This delicious feta cheese spread is super lemony.

Whipped Lemon Feta Spread Recipe
(Makes about 1 cup)

Ingredients:

6 ounces feta cheese

2 ounces of 1/3 less fat cream cheese (also known as Neufchatel cheese)

lemon zest of 1/2 a lemon

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a food processor, blend together the feta cheese, Neufchatel cheese, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until it’s smooth.

I love many of those fancy cheese spreads that you can find in the expensive cheese area of the grocery store. It was lots of fun creating my own version at home.

When I was planning the appetizer menu for a family gathering, I wanted to make a spin on a feta cheese and watermelon salad. I thought a simple homemade feta cheese spread made with just feta cheese and cream cheese, smeared on some watermelon slices would be fabulous. I was wrong. It actually tasted quite odd. Great, so now what? I do have my trusty block of pepper jack cheese in the fridge that I could put out instead, but I was determined not to give up or waste my feta cheese. (Which seems to have skyrocketed in price lately for some reason.)

I turned to the internet to brainstorm and nothing inspired me. Then I remembered that fabulous Tomato And Herbed Goat Cheese Sandwich that I made a few weeks ago and I instantly found my source of inspiration. Lemons! That goat cheese is loaded with herbs and lemon zest… lemons are a great Mediterranean ingredient… feta cheese is THE Greek cheese to have… lemon zest + feta = one amazing flavor duo! Who knew that this cheese and cracker dish would be my Plan B? 😉

This spread is super creamy and loaded with lemony goodness. The sour flavor from the lemon zest is a surprisingly awesome compliment to the tangy feta cheese. I think anything with a lemon flavor is super refreshing when it’s hotter outside so this is the perfect appetizer to serve on a Spring day.

You can also make this a day or two or few ahead of time. It’s been a few days and I’m still enjoying the leftovers. 🙂

I used some good old fashioned Ritz crackers because I had them handy, but really any cracker will be a great companion for this spread. In fact, this lemon feta spread would also taste amazing with veggies if you wanted to go carb free. My husband stuck his finger in it, so obviously something to dip doesn’t even have to be food.

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Comments

HAHA, isn’t it a bummer when you taste something that in theory sounds really yummy, and its not. Its such a let down. Although, nice save, love feta and reckon a bit of lemon juice with it would be wonderful. Hmmm… go to appetiser… I can’t remember the last time I actually entertained and served an appetiser, wow, thats really bad. Guess Im a lazy host and would prob just serve a block of some stinky blue cheese and some crackers. That sounds delightful doesn’t it? Bet you can’t wait for an invite for dinner at my place. 🙂

I could make a meal out of crackers and cheese. It’s dangerous when they’re served as an appetizer because I end up eating way to many of them, and then I’ve lost my appetite for dinner. Worth it! Can’t wait to try this whipped lemon feta cheese!